From Laem Chabang, discover Bangkok's contrasts: exotic temples, lavish palaces, busy markets, and a striking skyline. Once a small trading center, Krung Thep now hums with street food, graceful Thai architecture, and saffron-robed monks. Ride a tuk-tuk to Wat Pho, home to a huge reclining gold-plated Buddha. Take a boat on the Chao Phraya River past floating grocery stores and teak houses on stilts. Shop for Thai silk and jewelry, then enjoy pad Thai, khao mun gai, and mango sticky rice.

Ko Samui, once an isolated "Coconut Island," became a tourist destination in the early 1990s and is now Thailand's second most popular island after Phuket. Expect white-sand beaches, coral reefs, rainforest waterfalls, and local plantations where monkeys help harvest coconuts. Visit Wat Phra Yai, the 49-foot golden Big Buddha, then enjoy simple, delicious food and a cold coconut cocktail in Thailand's bright-blue paradise.

Spend the day discovering this cosmopolitan city and its many cultural layers, from the Petronas Towers and Royal Palace to Gothic churches, Colonial remnants, and a restored Malay timber house in a heritage center. Browse markets and shops for crafts, pewter, jewelry, and batik. Enjoy the fusion of Malay, Chinese, and continental cuisine-try curry, spicy broiled duck, satay, or broiled fish.

Spend the day discovering this cosmopolitan city and its many cultural layers, from the Petronas Towers and Royal Palace to Gothic churches, Colonial remnants, and a restored Malay timber house in a heritage center. Browse markets and shops for crafts, pewter, jewelry, and batik. Enjoy the fusion of Malay, Chinese, and continental cuisine-try curry, spicy broiled duck, satay, or broiled fish.

Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia, located on the northwest coast of Java. It is sprawling with shopping malls and traditional markets, and is known for its inexpensive, but fair quality textile and fashion products. Don't miss the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, and the National Monument in Merdeka Square. Visit the National Museum to learn more about the cultural heritage of Indonesia.

Semarang is a city on the north coast of the island of Java, Indonesia. A major port during the Dutch colonial era, the city is known in Indonesia for its large ethnically Chinese population. Today, Semarang is a commercial port and administrative capital of Central Java. More a business center than a city for tourists, it is, however, an excellent gateway to the mountainous interior of Central Java and only some 60 miles away from world-famous Borobudur.

Surabaya, East Java's capital, is a gateway city with diverse neighborhoods, from Buddhist temples to an historic Arab Quarter. Highlights include the 19th-century Dutch colonial House of Sampoerna museum, café and gallery, and the turquoise-domed Al Akbar Mosque, opened in 2000, with city views from its minaret. Try East Javanese seafood dishes.

Benoa's charms are most evident in Nusa Dua, one of the most beautiful beaches in already-legendary Bali. In this land of rice terraces, spectacular volcanoes and over 20,000 temples, the main destination is the stunning 17th-century royal temple complex of Pura Taman Ayun in nearby Mengwi, surrounded by a lotus-filled moat, giving it the feel of a garden sanctuary. Another favorite is the Sunset Temple, Tanah Lot, and don't miss the batik factories for that perfect gift or souvenir.

Benoa's charms are most evident in Nusa Dua, one of the most beautiful beaches in already-legendary Bali. In this land of rice terraces, spectacular volcanoes and over 20,000 temples, the main destination is the stunning 17th-century royal temple complex of Pura Taman Ayun in nearby Mengwi, surrounded by a lotus-filled moat, giving it the feel of a garden sanctuary. Another favorite is the Sunset Temple, Tanah Lot, and don't miss the batik factories for that perfect gift or souvenir.